Tightener for drumheads.



' E. M. YATES.

TIGHTENER FOR DRUMHEADS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.17, 1910.

955,736, Patented Apr. 19, 1910.

W/TNESSES: uvmvmrx ATTORNEYS "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR IVIURRY YATES, OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA.

TIGHTENER FOR DRUMHEADS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR MURRY Yarns, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Norman, in the county of Cleveland and State ofOklahoma, have invented a new and Improved Tightener for Drumheads, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are:to provide means for quickly tightening the heads of drums; to providemeans for adjusting the tightening devices individually and foroperating the same collectively; and to provide a strong, simple andellicient construction for drum bodies and head tighteners.

One embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in the structureillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like charactors ofreference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of a drum constructed and arranged inaccordance with the present. invention; Fig. 2 is a. fragmentary view onan enlarged scale, of the side of a drum constructed and arranged inaccordance with the present invention, the fastening devices being shownin partially loosened condition; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view invertical section and on an enlarged scale, of a drum constructed,equipped and arranged in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 4:is an enlarged view in detail,

of one of the individual tightening devices; and Fig. 5 is a detailview, fragmentary and diagrammatic, of the securing device for retainingin fastened position the various tighteners. I

The head rims 6, 6 are provided with bracket hooks 7, 7, which extendover and engage the said rims so that the same may be drawn toward eachother. The hooks 7, 7 have a bifurcated inner extension 8, between thebifurcated members whereof is extended a pivot pin 9. The pins 9, 9 areprovided as fulcrum members, upon which the short ends 10, 10 of doubleextension V-shaped levers 11, 11 rest. The short ends 10, 10 of thelevers 11, 11 are hooked, as at 12, the hooks being provided to extendthrough loops 13. The loops 13 are provided with threaded nipples 14,14, which are engaged with the threaded ends 15, 15 on a rod 16. Thenipples 14, 14 are of sufficient length that the ends 15, 15 may bescrewed into the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 17, 1910.

Patented Apr. 19, 1910.

Serial no. 538,572.

said nipples to vary the length of the combined rod 16 and loops 13, 13.

As many rods 16, with their attached loops 13, are provided as requiredto connect the hooks 7, 7 in pairs. hen being adjusted in position thedouble extension levers 11, 11 are placed in position wherein the shortends 10, 10 of the said levers extend over the pins 9, 9 and engage theloops 13, 13. In the relaxed position of the parts the lever 11 isextended horizontally or inclined upward from the pins 9, 9.

To tighten the drum heads the levers 11 are depressed upon the mediansection of the drum body. The depression referred to is facilitated by aholding line 17. The holding line 17 may be formed from suitable cord,rope or wire, and is preferably flexible in character. The loose ends ofthe line 17 are passed through a clamp 18, in which is pivotally mounteda rocking double extension cam 19. The cam 19 is pivoted at 20 betweenthe sides of the clamp 18, and is provided on the outside thereof with akey piece 21. The key piece 21 is used to adjust the cam 19 in suchposition that the ends of the line may be withdrawn from or loosened inthe clamp 18.

In the operation of a device thus constructed and arranged, with thetightening or loosening of the line 17 results the universal tighteningor loosening of the heads of the drum. lit is also obvious that, byreason of the excessive leverage of the levers 11, 11, the forcenecessarily exerted to depress the V-shaped ends of the levers isexceedingly small. It is also obvious that when it becomes desirable totighten any particular section of the head, this may be accomplished byremoving any one or more of the rods 16, and when removed, screwing upthe nipples 14: and the loops 13 attached thereto. The result, asoutlined, of this operation is to shorten the combined lengths of therods 16 and loops 13, and to compel the sections of the heads to whichthe said rods and loops are attached to more closely approach each otherwhen thereafter the lever 11 is depressed into the tightening or lockingposition.

The rods 16, 16 are rotated by means of flattened finger holds 22, 22.The screw threads 15, 15 on the rods 16, 16 when thus provided arepitched in opposite directions, that is, the one thread is so calledright hand pitch, While the other thread is a left hand pitch. By thisarrangement the two nipples 14L, 1 f are drawn toward each other whenturning the said rods 16, 16 in one direction, and removed from eachother when turning the said rods in the other direction. By this means aspecial tightening of the drum heads may be readily effected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent is 1. A tightener for drum heads, comprising aplurality of hooks adapted to engage the drum head rims; a plurality ofconnect ing rods for said hooks; and means for connecting the said hooksand rods, said means embodying a lever member for retracting the saidhooks upon the said rods.

2. A tightener for drum heads, comprising a plurality of hooks adaptedto engage the head rims of a drum in holding relation; a plurality ofconnecting rods for said hooks, the ends of said rods being providedwith engaging means; a fulcrumed member provided on said hooks toreceive an engaging lever; and a plurality of engaging levers adapted toengage the ends of said rods to lift the same on said projections.

3. A tightenerfor drum heads, comprising a plurality of hooks adapted toengage the head rims of a drum in holding relation; a plurality ofconnecting members having loops'formed in the end thereof; a pluralityof fulcrum members fixedly mounted in said hooks; and a plurality oflevers adapted to rest upon said projections to engage said loops todrawthe said connecting members and hooks together.

a. A tightener for drum heads, comprising a plurality of hooks adaptedto engage the head rims of a drum in holding rela tion; fulcrum pinsmounted in the lower end of said hooks; a plurality of connectingmembers provided with looped ends and adjustable to vary the lengththereof; and a plurality of levers adapted to extend over and fulcrumupon said fulcrum pins, to engage the said loop ends to draw the saidconnecting members and hooks to shorten the extension thereof.

5. A tightener for drum heads, comprising a plurality of hooks adaptedto engage the head rims of a drum in holding relation; a bifurcated endfor each of the said hooks; pins extended between the said ends; aplurality of connecting members adapted to extend between the saidhooks; and a plurality of levers adapted to extend over said pins toengage the said connecting members to draw the said hooks and memberstogether and thereby shorten their extension when the said levers aredepressed.

6. A tightener for drum heads, comprising a plurality of hooks adaptedto engage the head rims of a drum in holding relation, said hooks beingbifurcated at the lower extension thereof; pins extended between thebifurcated ends of said hooks; a plurality of connecting membersextended between said hooks and having looped ends juxtaposed to saidpins; and a plurality of levers adapted to extend over said pins toengage said looped ends.

7. A tightener for drum heads, comprising a plurality of hooks adaptedto engage the head ribs of a drum in holding relation thereto. saidhooks having bifurcated lower extensions; a pin extended between thebifur ated ends of each of said hooks; a plurality of connecting rodsextended between said hooks and having a screw threaded end; a loopmounted upon a screw threaded nipple adapted to engage said rod; and aplurality of levers adapted to rest over said pins to engage the ends ofsaid rod and the loop thereon.

8. A tightener for drum heads, comprising a plurality of hooks adaptedto engage the head rims of a drum in holding relation thereto, saidhooks having a bifurcated lower extension; a pin extended between thebifurcated ends of each of said hooks; a connecting rod having at eachend thereof a loop adapted to be juxtaposed to the said pins; means forvarying the length of said rods; and a plurality of levers adapted toextend over the said pins to engage the said loops.

9. A tightener for drmn heads, comprising a. plurality of hooks adaptedto engage the head rims of a drum in holding relation, said hooks beingprovided with fulcrum projections; a plurality of connecting rodsadapted to extend between said hooks; a plurality of levers adapted toextend over said fulcrum projections to engage the ends of said rods;and means for locking the said levers in depressed position.

10. A tightener for drum heads, comprising a plurality of hooks adaptedto engage the head rims of a drum in holding relation, said hooks beingprovided with fulcrumed projections; a plurality of connecting rodsadapted to extend between said hooks; a plurality of double extensionlevers joined to form looped median holding members; and means adaptedto be passed through said looped holding members to retain the saidlevers in depressed position.

in testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

EDGAR MURRY YATES. lVitnesses BEN lViLLLius, J12, GEO. G. GRAHAM.

